Ex-Premier League referee Coote pleads guilty to making an indecent image of a child
Sacked Premier League referee David Coote has pleaded guilty to making a ‘category A’ indecent image of a child.
Nottinghamshire Police said in a statement last month: “A suspect is due to appear in court after being charged with making an indecent image of a child.
“David Coote, aged 43, has been charged with the offence after an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police. The charge relates to a video file recovered by officers in February of this year. Coote, of Collingham, was charged on 12 August and is currently on conditional police bail. He is due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court tomorrow 11 September.”
According to Nottinghamshire Police, it is a category A charge, which relates to the most severe classification of indecent images or video depicting penetrative sexual activity.
In front of Judge Nirmal Shant KC, Coote appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday morning for a hearing to state his name and enter his plea.
The judge told Coote: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious matter. Whether this means custody or not will be decided when all the information is before the court, which is why I have ordered a pre-sentence report.”
The former Premier League referee has been granted conditional bail by Judge Shant and must appear in court again on November 11.
In November, the Premier League official was suspended by the PGMOL after his sweary rant on Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp leaked online.
He said: “Liverpool were s**t.
“C**t, absolute c**t. Aside from having a right pop at me when I was reffing against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then just had a right f***ing pop at me.
“I’ve got no interest in speaking to somebody as f***ing arrogant. I do my best not to speak to him…my god, German c***t. F*** me.”
Coote’s situation later worsened as it emerged that he organised a Travelodge ‘drugs party’ while officiating a Carabao Cup clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
After the PGMOL sacked him, the FA gave him a two-month suspension in August for his sweary rant about Liverpool and Klopp.
A statement on August 12 read: ‘An independent Regulatory Commission has imposed an eight-week suspension and mandatory face-to-face education programme on David Coote for a breach of FA Rule E3.
‘It was alleged that contrary to FA Rule E3.1 the referee acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words about Jurgen Klopp in a video that was recorded around July 2020 and appeared on social media in November 2024.
‘It was also alleged that his actions constitute an ‘Aggravated Breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as they included a reference – whether express or implied – to nationality.
‘David Coote subsequently admitted the charge. The Regulatory Commission imposed his sanctions following a hearing.’
